Returning to camp isn't like it used to be

Earlier this month, I wrote a column about Camp Hillsboro, a summer camp in New Hampshire that I attended in the 1950s. This week I received an invitation to a camp reunion to be from July 31 to Aug. 2. The camp itself has been used for church and family outings for at least 20 years; no young girls have stayed there to learn about outdoor activities and independent living since the '80s.

I won't be traveling there this year, but my sister Sally and I did drive to New Hampshire for the reunion in 2003. Our personal reunion began on the long drive as we summoned camp memories. We talked about mailing our dirty laundry home in a heavy cardboard case. We reminisced about waking to Reveille in the morning and singing Taps around the campfire at night.

I reminded Sally about the cold water we used to wash our faces outside at a wooden trough slimy with soap, used toothpaste and spit. We both shed a few tears as we fondly remembered our late mom sitting at her old black Singer sewing machine, sewing countless name labels on our clothing and bedding.

We arrived at the camp late Friday afternoon in a miserable cold downpour. After noticing that the trees are bigger and the lake smaller, we chose our cabin and staked claim to cots on the sleeping porch with only a few evergreen trees between us and the water.

Our three cabin mates soon arrived. After introductions, we were making small talk when one of our new camper buddies approached me, looked me in the eye, and challenged, "You're not going to get all bent out of shape if I smoke pot, are you?" She did smoke; I didn't freak out. Camp has certainly changed!

Evening brought dinner, more new people, and more rain. Night brought inky darkness, laughter from neighboring cabins, the rhythmic "sproing, sproing" of bullfrogs and two trips to the latrine for me. I clutched my flashlight while stumbling over roots and slippery pine needles, dodging tree limbs, and braving real mosquitoes and imagined wild beasts. Nights were more restful when I was 11 years old.

Morning finally arrived with a long muddy walk in the rain to the mess hall for pancakes topped with warm maple syrup produced at the camp from trees growing on the property. Following an excursion to the beautifully restored President Franklin Pierce Homestead just down the road, we came back for grilled peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and homemade ice cream.

After a festive dinner on Saturday night, several of us canoed to the middle of the lake to release floating candles while we sang across the water to a group of campers on the beach. Tradition holds that if our candle burns all the way down, we will return to camp.

Even though we didn't connect with any friends from our childhood stay, by departure time on Sunday afternoon, we felt close to this group of 45 campers - teachers, writers, homemakers, business and professional women - who had come back to camp to "let their hair down," to talk, to giggle, to sing silly camp songs, and to be Hillsboro girls once more.

MAIN STREET -- Main Street Medina has met its goal of 100 supporting members. Named an official Ohio Main Street program in December 2007, a dedicated group of over 25 volunteers has spent the last 18 months promoting the nine-block historic district as the heart of the community. Main Street Medina is celebrating the recent success of the Chalk Art Festival that attracted over 3,500 people to the Square on May 30.

STUFF THE BUS -- United Way of Medina County is leading the effort to "Stuff the Bus," an opportunity to prepare school book bags with needed supplies and deliver them to children in our county who cannot afford to purchase these items. Supplies can be donated at all the Buehler's stores, the Western Reserve Bank, the Society for Handicapped Citizens Day Center, and the United Way of Medina County. Monetary donations are also welcome.

VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR -- Mary Rankin has been named Volunteer of the Year for Project:LEARN. She has worked tirelessly to make The BookShelf a success. She began as a tutor with Project:LEARN in 2003. Since the bookstore has opened, Mary has coordinated the store volunteers. She now serves on the Board of Trustees and chairs The BookShelf committee.

BOOK RELEASE -- Medina based publisher, Sigel Press, launched "Shattered Truths," the sequel to David Jowsey's successful 2007 children's novel, "Dragons in the Sky" recently in Cleveland, England. Thomas Sigel, CEO, was delighted that the British Broadcasting Corp. featured his author and business with enthusiasm on the popular prime-time evening radio show, Gobstobbers.

Sigel is spending a week in the Cleveland region with Jowsey, presenting workshops and seminars at area primary and secondary school. "Shattered Truths" will be released in the USA on July 6.

HOSPICE -- Patrick Spoerndle is raising money for Hospice of Medina County by golfing 100 holes in one day at Fox Meadow Country Club. To make a donation in support of Hospice, contact Patrick at (330) 721-8822.

BOOK FAIR -- Project:LEARN is hosting a Scholastic Book Fair on the Square from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., on July 13-17, in the Firehouse on the Square. Meet Clifford, the Big Red Dog, and find books for readers in grades K-8. Proceeds from the sales will support adult literacy in Medina County. The book fair will be held in conjunction with The Medina County Arts Council's Arts Week, featuring a different program everyday at noon that will engage youngsters in an art form such as dance, storytelling and music. Free of charge.

TEACHER HONOR -- Terese Tye, National Board Certified Educator at Root Middle School, is the recipient of a government scholarship to attend the International Education and Resource Network's (iEARN) Master Trainer Workshop to be held in Ifrane, Morocco in July. iEARN is the world's largest non-profit global network that enables teachers and youth to use the Internet and other technologies to collaborate worldwide on projects that enhance learning for students and make a difference in the world. Ms. Tye was also chosen as a professional iEARN presenter at Ohio's first Global Institute to be held at Kent State University in August. She will be presenting the program to 100 educators from throughout Ohio.

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